Do people who write/speak good English think too highly of themselves?

I think you may be generalising a bit when you say they leave no stone unturned in poking fun at inarticulate people. There is a great value in being able to express yourself well: it leads to less confusion in understanding between people, and is more enjoyable for people listening. However,it doesn't mean that these people are a notch higher, either socially or intellectually. My wife isn't the greatest of speakers, but she's extremely good with her hands. She can pick something up and do it, while I'm still struggling with the manual. Yet I'm better at expressing things than she is - and write a good deal better. (Which means I have to write to all her relations as well as my own!)

Who said good English is a parameter to determine one's intellect? i understand that you seem to be upset over a couple of dicussions held here in MyLot...and some posts too. It is certainly not possible for all to master a subject or field. One has one's own strengths and weaknesses. It is really difficult for people from non-english-speaking countries to write flawless english.....so what?

I love to write and i consider myself as a writer but i have terrible spelling, grammar etc. This does make me feel inferior, i feel it portrays me as lower ranking to those that write and speak good english as in the world of journalism, their is no room for mistakes. However i would rather write creativly and with heart than be a technically correct writer that can bore its readers with ease. i believe no matter the context those that are arrogant enough poke fun at others are insecure about themselves and try to boost their confidence by pointing out differences in others.

There's another social component in using the language. If you use dumbed-down language yourself, it can also be interpreted as talking down to the other person, and insulting their intelligence. That said, there are some people desperate enough to put themselves above others on the basis of someone's poor English. As a matter of fact you're not supposed to do that in "polite society", (if anyone remembers that) because it's extremely rude. Intelligence/intellect isn't decided by grammar or vocabulary, but by content. A parrot can recite Shakespeare. Some of the most pedantic English speakers and authors I've ever met and read had nothing to say.

What a great topic for discussion! Well there are some positives and negatives to people who throw fancy words around. First of all I think it depends on the type of person writing them. Take for instance, someone who thinks they are superior and who is a sort of wordsmith, their post or what they write will come across as being rather flamboyant, ironic, and just plain SCARCASTIC. I try hard to look beyond the, “high-up” attitudes of others. Mainly because I have my own boat to move across the water. I do think that how you write and how a person speaks does address the issues of intelligent in some degree. However, I am English and Creative Writing Major and I have dyslexia. Talk about ironic. I can barley spell, yet my IQ was off the chart, at least on other types of learning. This is such a complex issue. You do have a great point. I find myself making sure all of my words are spelled correctly before I post. But, sometimes, they are all wrong. I do however feel that it is not really the vocabulary or the native tongue you speak as much as it is how you say or how you write those words. If you talk straight, honest and show care, than your intelligent will stand far beyond the negative words of another. Those people who find themselves on stilts, just because they use a different area of the brain for learning such as the language part in the frontal lobe, most people who are great in vocabulary have wonderful memories. Not me, my memory is so bad it is sad, and my spelling is much worst than an eight grader. I have to study harder than that of my collogues, I have also helped many people with disabilities get through tough barriers. That was easy for me because I truly cared, and the students I taught along the way could have cared less whether I could even spell my name. I hope I helped, this is very important and I do hope you post more topics like this. When it comes to education and culture there are a lot of issues between. Thanks, Kat

I always admire gifted people who speak and write good English. They master the skills to form meaningful sentences and manipulate ideas to form ingenious arguments. It is quite certain that good English doesn't equal intelligence or intellect, but most firms in my place tend to hire people who are capable of using the language with confidence.

I think it really depends on the person. It somehow affect his values. It doesn't just apply to writing/speaking, it involves almost everything a person is good at. If a person is humble, then he/she wouldn't think that way.

It's just some persons who would be very arrogant with anything they are better at then someone else, you can see that in sports or art, etc those who feel they are talented may be very modest but some of them have an ego problem. Good English is not a sign of intelligence in itself especially if the one they harass is from another culture/language background he may be just as good or better in his native tongue.

I dont think people who write and speak good english think too highly of themselves. A lot of people are very literate in the english language. If you're around people that act like they're on a higher social "notch" then maybe you should evaluate the character of those people.

i dint obseve such behaviour from my friendz but it may happen that some people may feel proud that they can speak good english so the r special...we cant help how to deal with such people but itz a world where many character exist so live and let live

I would anyday admit that I myself have been through embarassing situations down the years when my language (oral) skills were not too appreciative. Now, when I am good enough to convey what I want to without much effort, I feel the difference.So, Language plays an important role in our day to day life but its difinately not equal to intelligence coz' One can talk fluently about anything or everything only when they know what they are talking about.

Raasha, I think people who take the time to properly use English sometimes overestimate their own intellect. English is a difficult language to master, but so are many others. It just seems to me that many people act like because they know where to place a comma, they are better than others. While I think this is absurd, I will say that I believe netspeak and abbreviations and not taking the time to use punctuation and grammar makes you look either 1) lazy or 2) uneducated. Just because netspeak is understood doesn't mean its the appropriate way to communicate in a large forum, especially when dealing with an international audience who may only understand English when it is spoken and written formally.

Your observation and your importance given to people make them valuable. It is you and the people like you are important, not they, because without you and people like you there existence is nowhere. You make them feel that they are notch higher socially and intellectually. I thank you and others. Remember : The best words are those which are understood by a least educated man in the crowd no matter what may be the language. Intellectual are those who think about others. Good vocabulary is always good and appreciated but a person should use simple words so that it reaches everybody.

There was once a lady on a message board I go to that was a fanatic about proper grammar. She was actually a nice woman, but it got a bit irritating to have her constantly correcting someone spelling or phrasing. In any case, being word smart is completely different than being life smart.

I think it depends. Just the ability to form a proper sentence doesn't always indicate intelligence. There are plenty of people who are technically grammatically flawless but are still idiots who can't see past their own noses. And there are people who have a strong grasp of language and vocabulary and use it to express themselves well and nothing more. Most people who are intellectual do write well, but not everyone who writes well is an intellectual. Mmm, reverse booliasm...

I don't think people who do speak good English are necessarily arrogant about it, and I don't think they purposly poke fun at those who aren't articulate... I think it's more that they feel if they were brought up to speak//write correctly, why weren't other people? I don't think this is actually aimed at people who weren't born//raised in England, as it's more an admiring to those who are trying a new language... I think it's more aimed at those who know how to speak, but choose not to -- after all, doesn't that just degenerate those who actually ARE trying to learn?

You have a point in that people do think that way. It is not always the reality in truth.

generalizing over good english n bad behaviour is wrong becoz not all r like that......i m vvvv good in my english spoken as well as written but i never ever make fun of others so your generalizing on this topic is vvvvv wrong

yes! oh my i meet alot of people like that. as an electrician i work at the homes of alot of wealthy people, who've been blessed with a good upbringing and a good education. luckily for me they need my help and i know what i'm doing and they don't :D lol, so some of them tend to step down from their pedastool. but not always

people with good suject knowledge can not speak good english the think english can be learnt very easily but a few r luky that that they can catch up with the trend joining in any instant learning schools will do no good